CLEANING DEVICE FOR A YARN CREEL OR YARN PROCESSING MACHINE

Abstract: A duct (21) is suspended from a cowl (18) for free rotation relative to a support (17) fixedly mounted on a yarn creel or yarn processing machine. A fan unit (15) is also mounted on the support (17), and includes a rotatable fan (16) which directs air into the duct (21) for emission through an opening (22) in a side wall thereof. The duct (21) is caused to rotate by its entrainment in the generally spiral air flow from the fan (16), and as a result the air emitted from the opening (22) sweeps across the creel or processing machine.

Description: Title:- Cleaning Device for a Yarn Creel or Yarn Processing Machine This invention relates to a cleaning device for a yarn creel or a yarn processing machine. In German patent specification no. 4030940.1 there is described a cleaning device for a yarn creel in which air is directed along cylindrical ducts having openings therein, the air being emitted from those openings to produce a cleaning effect on certain parts of the creel. For an efficient cleaning effect, it is desirable that the air streams emitted from those openings are moved around, and this is achieved by reciprocating the ducts using a mechanical drive. This arrangement is, however, complicated in construction and requires periodic maintenance of the mechanical drive. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate this problem. According to the present invention, there is provided a cleaning device for a yarn creel or a yarn processing machine, comprising a fan unit including at least one rotatable fan, a duct into which air is directed by the fan unit, the duct having at least one opening in a side wall thereof through which the air is emitted to clean a part of said creel or said machine, the duct being mounted for free rotation and being rotated in use by the generally spiral flow of air from the fan unit. Preferably, the fan unit is mounted relative to the creel or the machine by way of a fixed support, and the duct is rotatably carried by that support. Conveniently, the duct is rotatably mounted on the support through the intermediary of a cowl which extends around the fan unit. Desirably, the fan unit is arranged with the rotation axis of the or each fan oriented generally vertically, in which case the duct is preferably suspended below the fan unit. Preferably, the duct is rotatable about an axis which is coincident with or closely adjacent to the rotation axis of the fan or fans of the fan unit. Advantageously, the duct has a single opening which extends generally in the direction of the rotation axis of the or each fan. The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the single Figure of the accompanying drawing, which is a schematic view of part of a yarn creel including a cleaning device according to the present invention. The yarn creel comprises generally a frame 10 having a number of vertically-extending supports 11 (only one shown) which carry mounting pins 12 for mounting yarn cones 13 or the like. In certain areas of the creel which need cleaning to remove accumulated lint, there are provided cleaning devices 14, only one of which is shown. For illustrative purposes, the device 14 is depicted as cleaning lint from the adjacent ones of the yarn cones 13. However, it can equally well be applied to other areas of the creel, such as yarn take-off points and walls of a cabinet within which the frame 10 is contained. The device 14 comprises a fan unit 15 which, in the illustrated embodiment, includes a single rotatable fan 16. The unit 15 is mounted on part of the frame 10 by way of a fixed support 17, and is arranged so that the rotation axis of the fan 16 is generally vertical. A cowl 18 is carried by the support 17 for free rotation relative thereto by way of a bush 19 and radial arms 20. Suspended from the cowl 18 for rotation therewith is a cylindrical duct 21 or chimney which has a single elongate opening 22 in its side wall. The rotation axis of the duct 21 is generally coincident with the rotation axis of the fan 16, and the opening 22 extends generally parallel to that axis. In use, air is directed by the fan 16 into the interior of the duct 21, and is thence emitted in a generally radial direction through the opening 22 and towards the yarn cones 13, as indicated by arrow A. The generally spiral nature of the air flow created by the fan 16 causes the duct 21 to become entrained in that air flow and to rotate, so that the air stream emitted through the opening 22 sweeps across the adjacent parts of the creel. It will be evident that no separate mechanical drive is required for rotating the duct 21 under these circumstances. Although described above as being applicable to a yarn creel, the cleaning device can be used in other applications where there is a need for e.g. accumulated lint to be removed from sensitive regions, for example in yarn processing machines such as knitting machines.

Claims: Claims 1. A cleaning device for a yarn creel or a yarn processing machine, comprising a fan unit including at least one rotatable fan, a duct into which air is directed by the fan unit, the duct having at least one opening in a side wall thereof through which the air is emitted to clean a part of said creel or said machine, the duct being mounted for the rotation and being rotated in use by the generally spiral flow of air from the fan unit. 2. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fan unit is mounted relative to the creel or the machine by way of a fixed support, and the duct is rotatably carried by that support. 3. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the duct is rotatably mounted on the support through the intermediary of a cowl which extends around the fan unit. 4. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the fan unit is arranged with the rotation axis of the or each fan oriented generally vertically. 5. A cleaning device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the duct is suspended below the fan unit. 6. A cleaning device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the duct is rotatable about an axis which is coincident with or closely adjacent to the rotation axis of the fan or fans of the fan unit. 7. A cleaning device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the duct has a single opening which extends generally in the direction of the rotation axis of the or each fan.

Inventors: SHELTON MARK ALAN, SHELTON WILLIAM EWART ALAN, SHELTON, MARK, ALAN, SHELTON, WILLIAM, EWART, ALAN
Applicants: SHELTON ALAN LTD, SHELTON MARK ALAN, SHELTON WILLIAM EWART ALAN, ALAN SHELTON LIMITED, SHELTON, MARK, ALAN, SHELTON, WILLIAM, EWART, ALAN
Application year: 1994
Main classification: D01H11
IPC codes: B65H54, D01H11